1996 Edition

Description

the flag of France is used

Location

4 00 N, 53 00 W -- Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly smaller than Indiana

land area

89,150 sq km

total area

91,000 sq km

Climate

tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation

Coastline

378 km

Environment

current issues

NA

international agreements

NA

natural hazards

high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding

Geographic coordinates

4 00 N, 53 00 W

Geographic note

mostly an unsettled wilderness

International disputes

Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa)

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

border countries

Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km

total

1,183 km

Land use

arable land

NEGL%

forest and woodland

88%

meadows and pastures

NEGL%

other

12% (1992)

permanent crops

NEGL%

Location

Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural resources

bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar, kaolin, fish

Terrain

low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains

highest point

Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 32% (male 24,447; female 23,378) 15-64 years: 63% (male 52,061; female 43,726) 65 years and over: 5% (male 3,784; female 3,791) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

24.68 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

4.59 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10%

Infant mortality rate

14.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

French

Life expectancy at birth

female

79.19 years (1996 est.)

male

72.55 years

total population

75.79 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1982 est.)

female

82%

male

84%

total population

83%

Nationality

adjective

French Guianese

noun

French Guianese (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

18.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

151,187 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

3.86% (1996 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic

Sex ratio

all ages

1.13 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.19 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

3.42 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Administrative divisions

none (overseas department of France)

Capital

Cayenne

Constitution

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Data code

FG

Diplomatic representation in US

none (overseas department of France)

Executive branch

chief of state

President (of France) Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995); represented by Prefect Pierre DARTOUT who was appointed by the French Ministry of Interior

head of government

President of the General Council Stephan PHINERA-HORTH (since March 1994)

Flag

the flag of France is used

French National Assembly

elections last held 21 and 28 March 1993 (next to be held NA 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (2 total) RPR 1, independent 1

French Senate

elections last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) PSG 1

General Council

elections last held NA March 1994 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (19 total) PSG 8, RPR 2, UDF 1, other right 1, other 7

Independence

none (overseas department of France)

International organization participation

FZ, WCL, WFTU

Judicial branch

Court of Appeals (highest local court based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana)

Legal system

French legal system

Legislative branch

unicameral General Council and a unicameral Regional Council

Name of country

conventional long form

Department of Guiana

conventional short form

French Guiana

local long form

none

local short form

Guyane

National holiday

National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

Political parties and leaders

Guianese Socialist Party (PSG), Raymond TRACY; Conservative Union for the Republic (UPR), Leon BERTRAND; Rally for the Center Right (URC); Rally for the Republic (RPR); Guyana Democratic Front (FDG), Georges OTHILY; Walwari Committee, Christine TAUBIRA-DELANON; Socialist Party (PS), Jean BART; Union for French Democracy (UDF), R. CHOW-CHINE

Regional Council

elections last held 22 March 1992 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (31 total) PSG 16, FDG 10, RPR 2, independents 3

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

overseas department of France

US diplomatic representation

none (overseas department of France)

Agriculture

rice, corn, manioc, cocoa, vegetables, bananas, sugar; cattle, pigs, poultry

Budget

expenditures

$284 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.)

revenues

$133 million

Currency

1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

Economic aid

recipient

ODA, $NA

Economic overview

The economy is tied closely to that of France through subsidies and imports. Besides the French space center at Kourou, fishing and forestry are the most important economic activities, with exports of fish and fish products (mostly shrimp) accounting for more than 60% of total revenue in 1992. The large reserves of tropical hardwoods, not fully exploited, support an expanding sawmill industry that provides sawn logs for export. Cultivation of crops is limited to the coastal area, where the population is largely concentrated. French Guiana is heavily dependent on imports of food and energy. Unemployment is a serious problem, particularly among younger workers.

Electricity

capacity

180,000 kW

consumption per capita

3,149 kWh (1993)

production

450 million kWh

Exchange rates

French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.0056 (January 1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992), 5.6421 (1991)

Exports

$110 million (f.o.b., 1993)

commodities

shrimp, timber, rum, rosewood essence

partners

France 52%, Spain 15%, US 5% (1992)

External debt

$1.2 billion (1988)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $800 million (1993 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

NA%

GDP per capita

$6,000 (1993 est.)

GDP real growth rate

NA%

Illicit drugs

small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe

Imports

$719 million (c.i.f., 1992)

commodities

food (grains, processed meat), other consumer goods, producer goods, petroleum

partners

France 77%, Germany 11%, US 5% (1992)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.5% (1992)

Labor force

36,597 (1993)

by occupation

services, government, and commerce 60.6%, industry 21.2%, agriculture 18.2% (1980)

Unemployment rate

24.1% (1993 est.)

Branches

French Forces, Gendarmerie

Defense expenditures

$NA, NA% of GDP

Defense note

defense is the responsibility of France

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

43,412

males fit for military service

28,171 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 5, FM 7, shortwave 0

Radios

79,000 (1992 est.)

Telephone system

domestic

fair open wire and microwave radio relay system

international

satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones

31,000 (1990 est.)

Television broadcast stations

9

Televisions

22,000 (1992 est.) Defense

Airports

total

10

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

2

with paved runways over 3 047 m

1

with paved runways under 914 m

4

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

3 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

727 km

total

1,817 km (national 432 km, departmental 385 km, community 1,000 km)

unpaved

1,090 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine

none

Ports

Cayenne, Degrad des Cannes, Saint-Laurent du Maroni

Railways

0 km (1995)

Waterways

460 km, navigable by small oceangoing vessels and river and coastal steamers; 3,300 km navigable by native craft